Call Me Tony
by Shizuka no Taisho
Summary: Tony didn't handle rejection well. Why should he? He was Tony Stark! Who said no to the guy with brains that'd make Einstein jealous, the good looks of a god, and more money than he knew what to do with?
1. Chapter 1

1. I don't own Marvel, or any of the characters henceforth mentioned within the story.

2. I've never written Frostiron before XD This was fun.

3. Feedback is appreciated!

Tony didn't handle rejection well. Why should he? He was Tony Stark! Who said no to the guy with brains that'd make Einstein jealous, the good looks of a god, and more money than he knew what to do with? It was unthinkable! Hell, he would've bet a few days ago that nobody, emphasis on NOBODY, could say no to him. Stuff like that just didn't happen. Ever. Yeah…..but that was then. This was now. And as it turned out, there was somebody who could say no to him. Repeatedly, and he ranged from simple no's to laughter and elaborate insults. Tony was particularly fond of the one that labeled him a modern day Tiberius, sans the pedophilia. But that wasn't the point! Rejection was rejection, no matter how you dressed it up, and he'd experienced it not once, or twice, but thirteen times. THIRTEEN. TIMES! Honestly, what fucked up parallel universe had he stepped into?

Evidently one that liked him to be miserable. Sulking, Tony nursed his coffee and contemplated the figure sitting across the room, halfheartedly wondering how hard he'd have to launch a crumpled napkin to make it hit him in the head. He could put his phone number on it, just to be safe. The force was strong in this one though. He didn't respond to any of the billionaire's advances, no matter how creative or extravagant. And he'd done everything short of throwing the guy a parade! That whole flowers and chocolate spiel? Not half as romantic when their recipient not only hated the color red, but was pickier than a toddler forced to choose between strained peas and turkey mash. Not that Tony knew much about that. He hated kids. Didn't know if lover boy did though, since he wouldn't fucking TALK to him. The rare sarcastic quip didn't count either.

On the other hand, quips were better than nothing, and he liked hearing those dulcet tones. Nothing not sexy about a guy who could turn a phrase. Of course, everything sounded attractive when it was shaped by a mouth that looked like it had been made for sucking cock, all flushed and wet from the occasional flick of a tongue Tony knew firsthand to be silver sharp. Those things alone were praise worthy, but they were part of a bigger package. Angled cheekbones Maleficent would envy, milk white skin he really wanted to touch, and dark hair that was too long to be conventional, but conventional was boring, so who really gave a fuck? Shit, and his figure. One glimpse of the guy standing and Tony had had enough material to warp for his sexual fantasies for DAYS. He'd rather have the real thing, of course. Had to take what he could get. Which had just so happened to be a nice side view of his favorite coffee shop attendee. The guy was easily six foot, curved in all the right places, and had an ass beyond perfection. Some major TLC had gone into the creation of that ass. He wanted to thank its maker firsthand. Or, you know, the owner. Repeatedly. Preferably at one of his secluded hideaways, with silk sheets and handcuffs. Pale and handsome over there had sexual deviant written all over him. The things he could do to that body…..

Hello rated R thoughts. Right. He didn't need to be getting a boner, so Tony forced the worst of them away, absently scratching at his cup's styrofoam with the edge of his nail. He couldn't daydream about their main star, but he could damn well watch him. Watching gave him time to think, and plot. He was good at plotting, when it suited him. He just thought about things like they were a particularly tricky puzzle, then figured out how to fit all the pieces together without getting them too battered around the edges. Most people would be patient, take their time. He wasn't most people. No telling when beautiful gorgeous would get fed up with him and start going to another coffee shop, and like hell Tony was going to let him do that without working a date somewhere in there. Rejection didn't make him happy, but it did inspire him to go to ridiculously outrageous lengths. What Tony wanted, Tony got. And he wanted-

Uh, wait a minute. When did this become a ménage à trois? Tony's eyes honed in on a blond suddenly hulking over his, emphasis on HIS, new interest. He was smiling at tall, dark, and handsome like some overgrown puppy, joy written all over his stupidly gorgeous face. How he managed to do that when he was a powerhouse worthy of the Viking runway was beyond the engineer, but he didn't approve. Not at all.

A hand the size of a small dinner plate came to rest on that snowy nape Tony harbored one too many longings for, and his glower darkened to a full blown scowl. Yeah, no. Bad call. He didn't like it when people touched his stuff. Works in progress included. He didn't need to think about acting on his instincts to seize and protect. One second he was in his chair, the next he was walking towards the two like fire was licking at his heels. Tony vaguely heard a waitress ask if everything was alright, and he muttered something at her. It sounded vaguely like tea, coffee. Whatever it was, she got the point and hurried off, though that might've had something more to do with the threatening aura wafting off him. He honestly didn't care. Point Break was getting more handsy, and Tony heard his teeth grinding when tan fingers started touching handsome's sleeve. Nope. NOPE. Not allowed.

One thing was for sure. Nobody could say Tony Stark didn't know how to make an entrance. "Hey there beautiful!" All casual like, he waltzed up to the table and flashed a showy grin at the two men. One looked surprised, the other annoyed. Three guesses as to which was which. "Did you miss me? Sorry I'm late." Tony was happy to ignore the animosity coming his way from the brunette, if it meant getting his man away from the Aryan supermodel. Slinging his arm over the back of handsome's chair, he smiled and made a big show of lowering his sunglasses down to peer at the blond, whose hand had slowly fallen away as he gaped at Tony. "And…...you are?" There was no room for questioning in his voice. He was marking his territory better than any animal, complete with bristling hairs and nostril flares. If Viking boy didn't get the picture, that was his problem. Tony wasn't backing off.

Double sets of eyes passed over him, one pale blue, and the other a shade of green he'd never seen before. Paler than emeralds, but with the same cool glint of polished stone, richer hues of green near the iris. Unsurprisingly they belonged to gorgeous, and right now they were full of a fire that flickered between bemusement, irritation, and-ha! Relief. Tony knew he'd gotten through to him, at least a little. That, or he was just really happy to be saved from alone time with the brute. Either or he could work with. He got a little more showy with things, taking a seat and cheerfully smiled up at Muscles McGee, glasses shoved up into the nest of his dark hair and chocolate orbs blatantly glancing him up and down. Beside him, the brunette sighed and sipped his drink, avoiding their gazes. "Right. You can pull the strong and silent shtick if you want. Just go do it somewhere else. Me and handsome here want some alone time, so-" Tony made a shooing gesture with his fingers.

If he got the memo, he sure wasn't showing it. Looking pretty damn confused, the guy frowned. "Loki?" He started to reach towards the man at Tony's hip, and Tony got ready to snap some damn fingers, leaning off his chair. They were both cut off by the one in between, whom he now knew as Loki-fuck that was a sexy name-setting his cup aside to sternly peer up at the intruder. "Thor. He's right. You are interrupting our…" Loki's gaze flitted to Tony, "…..time together. And seeing as how Anthony has precious little of it to spare, I'd appreciate if we could enjoy it. Alone."

If Thor seemed shocked before, now he was downright stupefied. Tony could've jumped for joy. "Loki, you…I didn't realize-"

"Of course you didn't. You never bothered to ask," came the biting reply. Loki shifted in his chair, all but turning his back on Tho-wait, his name was seriously Thor? Tony snorted. Great. He really was a modern age Viking. Lucky for him he got the distinct impression that Loki didn't much care for the guy, or whatever he had to say. Blondie wasn't looking so hot with the wounded puppy stare anyway, and he got to watch him mutter a soft fine and stomp out of the coffee shop, shoulders slumped and head bowed.

Finally! Privacy, with the added bonus of being Loki's sole company. Tony lapped it up, preening under those attentive eyes, gleeful beyond words that he had beautiful's full attention. And Loki knew his name! This day kept getting better and better. Sure, he didn't really like being called Anthony, but they could work on it. It was all part of the wooing and swooning process. Speaking of, that waitress had perfect timing. She'd reappeared with two mugs on a tray, which she placed down on the table with a polite smile. Tony grinned and slipped her a bill he didn't bother checking the number on, sliding one of the mugs over to Loki. "Figured you needed a refill."

Loki didn't give it a single glance. "Mr. Stark. I simply must thank you." Aw, back to formalities? "Because of your actions, my brother-" and damn if Tony didn't feel relief at that. No rivalry then. He had Loki all to himself- "now believes me to be involved in a relationship. One I never agreed to, might I add." The bemusement faded from his irises and left them icy cold. If not for the twitch of his lips, Tony might've thought he was really angry. He certainly sounded pissed off. "What were you doing? Watching me? Waiting to see if anyone else approached me with offers of lavish gifts and sexual favors? No, don't bother," he held up a hand when Tony opened his mouth. "I already know what your answer will be. You've made your intentions quite clear over these past few weeks."

Yeah, ok. Couldn't really argue that one. He kind of did make his first few attempts all about sex. But with a body like Loki's, could he really blame him? "Way I see it, I did you a favor. You weren't looking too happy, talking to Point Break. Even if he is your brother. I'm guessing…strained family relationships?" Tony jabbed his thumb towards the front doors. "Got him out of the way, didn't I? So what if he thinks we're dating? You can always correct him later." He cocked a brow and smirked, nudging Loki's mug closer to him. "Personally, I wouldn't bother. That's one lie we can always make reality."

He got a smile with that one. Wasn't exactly the happiest expression, but Loki made it work. "How many attempts does this make now, Mr. Stark? I want to say twelve, but I lost count somewhere after eight."

"Thirteen, actually. I'm betting on it being my lucky number." Nose wrinkling at the title, he pushed the mug into Loki's hand with a stubborn grin. "And call me Tony. Mr. Stark is too impersonal. We're not business associates or anything. I don't fool with that sort of stuff." Picking up his own drink, Tony nodded at the tea. "That's not poisoned. You can drink it, you know." Did Loki think he was trying to slip him a drug or something? How stupid. Tony Stark didn't need to rely on drugs to get someone in his bed. Or out on a date, for that matter.

"You'd be a fool if you tried to poison me," Loki retorted, taking the mug by its handle and staring down at the mahogany colored liquid inside. It was potent stuff, the kind British guys liked to drink. Tony thought it smelled disgusting, personally, but hey, who was he to judge? If Loki liked it, good for him. "This is my favorite tea…." lips tight with a forced smile, the brunette cocked his head to the side and surveyed him, casually reaching for a packet of sugar and a spoon. "Mr. Stark, are you aware stalking is illegal? I know your sort often disregard the law to further your own means, but I imagined this to be one line you wouldn't cross, with your own unfortunate popularity with the paparazzi."

His sort? Stalking? Oh, because of the tea. That did make sense, in its own way. "I'd call it gathering intelligence. Not stalking. That's for creepy people." He clasped his chest when a pointed stare turned on him, wagging a finger at Loki. "Hey now, I'm not creepy! I just pay attention! Any guy with a working pair of eyes could see you like tea. You drink it practically every time you're in here, gorgeous." So what if they'd have to be paying really, really close attention to see what in his cup? Tony was a guy with a plan, and you didn't go into these things blind. Not when this was effort number thirteen. He wasn't about to be rejected again. His ego could only take so much before he started getting seriously desperate. And something told him Loki wouldn't appreciate flying banners in the sky. …Wait, maybe he would? Tony filed that particular idea away for later, just in case.

"Gorgeous?" Stirring the sugar into his tea, Loki smirked. "That may be what I am, Mr. Stark, but it's not my name. Might I remind you, you have that particular piece of information at your disposal now, thanks to my brother's inability to keep his sentimental nature in check." He took a sip of the sweetened drink. Tony couldn't stop watching how those pink lips curved against the rim of the mug. "I suppose your efforts to woo me will never cease, since my name is all you need to discover other important details. My address, my profession…" all things he'd considered, but hey, he had a grudging respect for privacy. "What next should I expect from you? Bouquets of roses? Fine jewelry? Or do you reserve those types of gifts solely for your paramours?"

"Nope. You're fair game." Since he wanted Loki to be his lover and all. "If I knew what kind of flowers you liked, you'd have enough bouquets to fill up your bedroom by now. And then some." He let his gaze wander up and down the pale faced man, preserving the close up for future drunken fantasies and the late night hours when he couldn't sleep. Loki watched him closely, chin lifting as Tony's gaze passed over that graceful neck and protruding collarbones, highlighted nicely by the v-neck of his forest green shirt. Fuck, he was stunning. He definitely had the classy thing going on, from his sleeked back hair curling lightly against his nape to the tips of his black boots, scuff free and unadorned. The only real embellishment on Loki at all was a leather wrap around his right wrist, tooled with gold around the edges. "I'm guessing you're not really the jewelry type, huh? Too bad. I've got some pieces in storage that'd look great on you."

A thin brow lifted at his remark. "I won't bother asking what these so called pieces are. I fear what your answer might be." Tony grinned and kept with the admiring, until Loki huffed, crossing his arms over his chest and ruining a very nice view. That shirt was sinfully tight in all the best places. "You're staring."

"And you're sexy." When the brunette turned a cheek, unimpressed, he kept going. "Handsome? Radiant? Magnificent? Spectacular?" Dammit. "Uh…glorious? Majestic? Magisterial? Your whole body could be the picture perfect definition for that one." Aha! It was only for a second, but he saw Loki smile. Good. He was handsome no matter what, but he had a fantastic smile. Tony wanted to see more of it. A lot more. "C'mon…." scooting his chair to Loki's side of the table and bumping his thigh, he tried to catch him in the act. "I know you're warming up to me, gorgeous. Nobody can resist the old Stark charm."

"So it would appear. How else would you fill your nightly quota for risqué sex and debauchery? Money can only get you so far, and you don't seem the type to resort to the average streetwalker."

The bluntness of it all struck Tony first, then the fact that he'd been both insulted and complimented in the same sentence, in an abstract sort of way. "It's not a quota. I take sex when it's offered, and when I'm in the mood. Like any other red blooded male." He drank his coffee and tried not to let Loki's words bother him, even though they did. The way he made things out, Tony was having daily orgies in some raunchy fortress of lust and lavishness. Not that that sounded like a bad thing, but he'd rather sans the orgy, throw in Loki instead. "Look gorgeous, we're getting off on the wrong foot here." Again. "I didn't come over here to-"

"I already mentioned once that gorgeous isn't my name." Loki pushed out of his chair and started gathering his things. A nice pea coat Tony hadn't noticed before, a black scarf detailed in gold, plus a well used paperback with dog ears. "If you refuse to dredge up the smallest degree of consideration to address me properly, then I see no reason to continue this charade. I have absolutely zero interest in becoming another one of your nameless conquests, Mr. Stark. Nor will my answer be changing anytime soon." Loki wound the scarf around his neck, and that's when it hit him. Loki was leaving. LEAVING. Tony had fucked up, yet again. Shit! This was not part of the plan! He needed to rethink tactics, fast.

"Wait a minute!" Shooting his hand out, Tony grabbed him around the wrist and pulled him back down into his seat. Loki looked murderous, circles of pink appearing on the crest of his angled cheekbones, but he'd risked worse things than an attempt on his life in the middle of a crowded coffee shop. And like hell he was letting Loki walk away before he got a chance to make things right. By right, he meant Loki agreeing to a date. Sex afterwards would be a nice bonus, if he was willing to go for it. Right now a kiss on the cheek was looking like upscale porno material. "Look, I didn't mean anything by it. Nicknames are just part of what I do, you know? It's harmless. I call you gorgeous because you are. Gorgeous. And I thought it'd be rude, calling you your name when we were never formally introduced." Tempting fate, he thrust out his hand and put on a toothy grin. "Want to fix that for me?" Tony added a silent beautiful, because old habits died hard.

Whatever Loki thought of him, he didn't immediately say no. That was a plus. "You want me to…introduce myself," he quietly settled into the chair, eyeing Tony's hand as if it would bite him.

"Yeah. I do. Isn't that part of showing respect? Give me a chance already. I'm being polite here and all." Tony waggled his fingers and smiled earnestly. "If you don't, I'll just have to keep thinking up new nicknames for you. How about…..Jadis? You look like you could've been a killer snow queen from a magical wardrobe in a past life. And you're tall enough to be a giant."

"Part giant." Noting his confusion, Loki sighed. "Jadis hailed from two races that had heavily interbred over time. She was only half giantess, by blood. And my height is not so spectacular, Mr. Stark. Perhaps it merely seems that way to you because you are so woefully lacking in size."

"Not where it counts." Stubborn ass. Growing disgruntled, the lack of progress prickling his every nerve, Tony put their seats so close together that there was hardly any elbow room at all and leaned across their arms to seek out those pretty green irises. "Name. Otherwise, I'll hunt down every irritable literary character out there with similar features to yours and use their names to address the cards on your roses. All two dozen of them. Maybe three, if you keep this up."

That didn't get the reaction he was hoping for. Tony couldn't find it in himself to care. Loki's laughter was like quicksilver, but pretty, and had a sexy little drawl he wanted to drool over. "You would show your irritation with me by purchasing even more gifts? That makes no sense." He chuckled to himself and laid his forearms on the table, chin perched in a spindly hand. "For the sake of your bank accounts, I'll spare you the expense. My name, as you know, is Loki. Loki Laufeyson."

"Laufeyson? That's a mouthful." He got his way! Tony could do a dance, he was so fucking happy. Could, but wouldn't. Not here. Maybe later, in his lab. Or in bed. There were all kinds of dancing, and he had a tango in mind with him and Loki's names on it…. "You already know who I am, but why deny the experience? I'm Tony Stark. Billionaire genius playboy philanthropist." Taking Loki's free hand in his own, he kissed the arch of his knuckles. "But you can consider me your evening entertainment."

"Oh?" Loki chuckled, attempting to free his hand. Wasn't happening. Tony held tighter, idly thumbing the tops of his fingers to get a taste of that velvety smooth skin. Did he use lotion or something? Fuck, he hoped every part of him was this soft. Well, almost every part.

"How does dinner at Del Posto sound? Not too crowded, live piano, and they make a mean pasta that'll have your toes curling." If Tony didn't by the end of the night. Frankly, seeing Loki smile again would be a good enough reward for all his effort. If he said yes. Please God, let him say yes. Tony watched his face for any sign of reluctance, or dismissal altogether, but the man seemed to be genuinely thinking it over, features set in a contemplative frown. Ok, that he could work with. "You'll have fun," he wheedled, holding Loki's hand a little more firmly and giving him the best smile he could drum up. "Music, good food, maybe a few glasses of wine. What's the worst that could happen?"

He expected snark. Loki had a viperous tongue, and that was a compliment in Tony's book. But he wasn't quite sure how to go about things when Loki was blunt, or cool. "Considering how infamous you are, the worst could very well shatter my reputation. You may make light of your dalliances, Mr. Stark, but have you never stopped to consider what those one night stands do to the other party? Their name? The media adores a risqué story, and your flings offer more than enough material for them to feast on. As I told you before, I've no interest in becoming their new main course."

Tony blinked. You know, it didn't help his cause when most of what Loki said wasn't exactly wrong. "So you have a reputation worth shattering. Good to know." That meant he was someone semi-important to the media circus, though none of that was really helpful, in terms of figuring out who Loki was, what he did. For all Tony knew, he could be a supermodel on the rise, or a professor well known to the academia. Both were popular topics for articles, and when you added his name to the mix…..yeah, he could definitely see Loki's point. Tony was used to the attention, and the slander and bullshit that came with it, but he was head of one of the world's most famous companies. Any trouble he could throw money at to make it go away. Not everyone had that option. Tall and gorgeous could be one of those people. He respected that.

Too bad it wasn't enough to turn him off. If things came down to that, he'd handle it. Like hell Tony was going to let what ifs and the potential for disaster ruin his chances with the most attractive looking guy he'd ever met. The only guy to ever say NO to him. That took balls. "Look. I don't care what you are, what you do. You're the first guy to really catch my eye in MONTHS. You think I'm going to just walk away from that?" Fuck no. Hand sliding up to grip Loki's elbow, he turned him in the chair despite his protests and shushed each one with firm "Nope, no, not happening gorgeous." He didn't have time to listen to arguments. Tony was going to get his way, and that was that. "Loki, SHUT UP."

Whether it was the shock of hearing his name, or someone telling him off, it worked. Loki went quiet, the fluster tinting his nose and back of his neck rosy pink. Much better. Cute too. Tony smirked, taking his chin in a firm grip to drag him down a few inches. He'd like that long torso better if it was naked and plastered against his sheets. Until then, it was a pain in the ass, aiding in Loki's advantage of being a damn Amazon in height. "See? I called you by your real name. Happy now?"

It was probably a good thing that they were sitting in a corner, since Tony was practically in Loki's lap, and Loki looked ready to draw blood. "Mr. Stark," he hissed, looking no better than an aggravated kitten with his gleaming eyes and kneading claws, the latter ripping into Tony's thigh. Talk about ow. Did he get those things manicured? "Are you incapable of understanding when no means no? I already told you-"

"What you told me is that you don't want to be another late night conquest. Good thing too, since that's not what I had in mind." And that made the second time today he got to watch Loki flounder. Tony held him a little tighter and debated whether or not now was a good time to steal a kiss. He voted yes, smothering that fuckable mouth and eating the outraged cry as it gushed forth, tongue gliding across petal soft lips. All in about five seconds too. That was a new record. "I like hearing you talk and all, but not when you're spouting bullshit. I'm on a deadline here. If we're going out to dinner, I need to make reservations, pick out a suit." Tony grinned, licking a tendril of saliva off Loki's bottom lip. "Make the biggest bouquet order this city's ever seen. And all in the span of a few hours. So save the complaints, hold the bitching. Give it to me straight. Yes, or no?"

Loki was glaring at him like there was no tomorrow. "Why should I say yes? You claim-" damn, when did that word become an insult "that your interests aren't solely derived from sex. But everything I've heard about you would protest otherwise. You have your lays, and after a night or two they get flung to the side without another word shared between you two."

"I'm not denying that I've done that in the past." Really, he wasn't. It was the truth. "That's not-"

"What you want from me." Scoffing, venomous green fixed on his mouth. Tony was thrilled to see Loki wet his own. Nervous tick, or memory? Either one was an attractive option. "And what is it you want then, Mr. Stark, if not sex?"

He raised a brow. "You saying my name, for one." Loki scowled, while Tony laughed and affectionately nipped his pouting mouth. "Calm down. You take everything so seriously! That can't be healthy. You've gotta live a little, Loki. Have some fun." Edging as close as he could get without completely invading Loki's space, he rubbed his thumb over the racing pulse in his arm, feeling it pound frantically. Was he nervous? Surprising. "I wasn't kidding about the sex. Yeah, I'd like to get you into bed. Preferably sometime this millennia. Multiple times too. You'd enjoy it. But-" Tony squeezed, cutting off the tirade he saw taking shape, "I'm more interested in getting you on a date first. Think about it. If this was all about getting your sexy ass between my sheets, you think I'd be working this hard? Sorry gorgeous. You're good looking, but my ego can only take so many hits. Like you said. There were twelve other attempts before this, and you verbally kicked my ass each time." He snorted. "No piece of ass is worth that."

"Unless you are incredibly stubborn, and unwilling to admit when your attempts are doomed to fail. You also have an enormous ego, Stark. There are many men who couldn't handle rejection without seeking some sort of retribution for it." There was a sudden note of caution to Loki's voice. That wariness got Tony's attention, and he honed in on the way the brunette was glancing him over, as if to see if there was any sign of deception. Whatever he found, it calmed him down. Loki didn't shy away from his touch, but leaned into it instead, nudging the fingers still curled around his chin. "Were you that petty, I'd walk out of here and never return. No amount of tea and scones are worth dealing with that kind of animosity."

"Scones?" Another fact to save in the mental databanks. "I bet you like the kind with chocolate in the middle." Loki's faint smile was all the answer he needed to answer that one. Tony knew what he was ordering next trip here. "Relax Loki. Ok? I'm not interested in anything like that. Just you and me at dinner, with some liquor thrown in to ease the way. Nothing sinister about that, right?" He was doing it! Tony could see Loki beginning to crack. There might as well have been seams running up and down his face, across his chest, with the glimmer of potential seeping through. He just had to work it a little more… "I promise. Nohing you don't want to do." Tony chanced it and pecked the corner of his lips. He didn't get smacked, so that was another good sign. "You'd have fun…..good food, music, wine."

"Stark."

He heard his name, but Tony was on a roll. "Ever had gelato? Del Posto has this dessert called chocolate ricotta. Not sure what it is, but I want to try it." An exasperated sigh puffed across his chin. Grinning, he looked Loki dead in the eye and nipped smooth flesh, almost jumping out of his skin when it was returned, Loki's mouth pressing into the soft bites and licks. If this was the sort of reaction he had to look forward to, then Tony could die a happy man. He gave credit though; Loki was probably looking to shut him up, and he found the best way to do it. At least for a minute. Then he was back on a roll, all talk and begging, if he had to resort to it. He hoped not. Tony Stark didn't beg for anything. But in this case, it might just be worth it. "Is that a yes? Please, be a yes. You won't regret it."

"That remains to be seen." A bittersweet kiss later and Loki pushed him away, hiding his expression behind his mug of tea. The air of finality about him gave the answer away before he even had a chance.

Tony could've shouted his triumph for all to hear, if he could actually fixate on anything but the handsome face in front of him. "I knew you'd warm up to me." He'd done it. He'd DONE IT. Sure, it wasn't a verbal yes, but who cares? Not him! HA! And there sat his prize, flushed and observing him from the corner of his eye, too beautiful for words. Tony wasn't much of a poet anyway. Loki had everything he could want, and a fantastic personality on top of it all. Maybe others would be turned off by the insults and snark, on top of the biting sarcasm. Tony considered it a type of verbal foreplay. "Took you long enough."

"You sound surprised. I thought no one could resist the Stark charm?" Surprise, Loki had the gall to smirk at him. Of course he was pleased with himself. He'd probably gotten his kicks watching Tony suffer day after day, making him work for it. Such a beautiful bastard.

"Yeah, and those people end up gracing my bed for a night or two. Didn't we already cover this?" The temptation to kiss him again was strong. Tony resisted, settling for a stroke of his finger across those thin lips instead. "I'm serious Loki. You won't regret any of this. We'll have a great time. I'll pamper you senseless, we'll share a great meal, and if you still don't want any more of this when the night's over," he waggled the digit, gesturing between them. "It'll suck, but that's your choice. I'll just have to try harder." Speaking of trying harder, he had things to do! Preparations to make. Tony leapt out of his chair, sending it screeching backwards across the wooden floor. Of course that would be the thing to grab everyone's attention, but what did he care? He had a dinner to plan!

"I suppose you're leaving now?"

Loki was reaching for his book, hardly phased by his hasty reaction. He was the picture of calm serenity, save for his rosy cheeks. Tony adored him for it. "Reservations don't make themselves. And I promised you gelato. What kind of date would I be if I didn't keep my word?" He caught that cheeky grin. No doubt Loki had plenty to say on what kind of date he was. "Don't judge me yet. Wait till we've actually gone out first. After that, you can think whatever you want." Tony winked. "All good things, if I have my way." Which he always did. Snatching the book from Loki's hands, he tossed it far enough away as to keep his attention where it belonged. "How about a kiss before I go?"

"A kiss? You think you deserve that, Mr. Stark?" Mouth curling, Loki fiddled with a spare napkin in absence of his book and tilted his head up, mocking him with his smile. Ha. More like cockteasing. "You've already stolen a handful of kisses, none with my permission. What's stopping you now?"

He wasn't a fan of concession. Tony was starting to get that. Trouble was, neither was he. All but leering at the other male, he grabbed him by the neckline of his shirt and jerked him into a clash of tongues and teeth, a hot, wet mess sprouting a thousand different ideas for pornographic scenarios inside his head. Maybe it was a bit-in other words lot-more lewd than the mostly chaste kisses they'd shared so far, but he didn't care. Tony wasn't worried about reporters, or reputations; he wanted to savor this, savor Loki, then get back to the tower to plan their date….after more kissing, because damn, was he good at it. And he tasted amazing.

"Stark…." pale hands hesitated between them. He noticed one was clutching a pen, but that was the farthest his scrutiny got before both pressed into his chest, pushing him away. Tony anguished over the loss long enough to see the glimmer in those eyes. He knew that look like the back of his hand. Loki liked kissing him. A lot. Maybe even enough to want to kiss him more. Another thing to keep in mind, and he already had a pretty lengthy list. Which he was hardly complaining about, but remembering all these little factoids might be a good job for Jarvis, so he could focus on more important things. Like Loki being a stubborn shit and not saying his name.

"I know. Impressive. I get that a lot. And call me Tony." He offered a friendly grin. "I used your name, so it's only fair you do the same. Unless you don't play fair? Which is cool. I like a challenge just as much as the next guy. Except when you keep important things from me, like your address. That's just cruel." Pointedly, he gestured to the pen. "I need that, by the way. Unless you want to go waltzing up to Stark Tower and risk alerting the entire media to our plans?"

Loki watched him carefully, the smallest trace of humor in his smile. "You make it all sound so nefarious." Glancing down to the spot where his hands rested on Tony's chest, he slowly took them away, leaving something white in their place, with faint scribbles of dark green visible near the bottom. "I believe you'll find everything you need written there. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to salvage what is left of my peaceful afternoon. You've interrupted me long enough." He pondered something for a moment. Tony saw it, waited, and wasn't disappointed when a mug was shoved into his open hand, dregs of tea swishing around the bottom. "Make yourself useful before you go. Earl Grey, with one sugar, and a hint of milk."

"What, no please? Or better yet, thank you, Tony! You're so good to me." He chose to ignore the man's scoff. They both knew the truth anyway. "You're lucky you're hot." Grumbling halfheartedly, Tony shoved the napkin into his pocket. Loki was already nose deep in his book, what a shocker, yet he swore he saw the ass smile behind it. "Be ready by seven. Hope you like Italian."

"It's customary to ask someone's preferences towards dinner before making arrangements, but you're in luck. I do like Italian. And Mr. Stark?" Peeking up through his lashes, the brunette nodded towards the cup. "I expect a pastry to accompany that."

Asshole. "You don't deserve it."

"Perhaps not, but I thought lavish displays of wealth were your calling card? Don't you want to leave a good impression? Otherwise, my mind might very well wander…I could forget all about our little date this evening." Loki waved him off. "Hurry along. And don't be late tonight. I don't condone tardiness, Mr. Stark." Tony stared, trying very hard not to burst into laughter. Or kiss him until something other than attractive sarcasm came out of that mouth. He settled for a miffed eye roll and walked away, clearly hearing Loki call after him, "Don't forget the sugar."

"Uhuh, yeah! Bye! I'll miss you too gorgeous." The coffee shop had a delicious array of cakes and pastries on display in their glass cases, and Tony smugly pointed out one with a thick chocolate cream at its center. "Take one of those and a refill to the snow queen over there. One sugar, a dash of milk. And tell him he's an ungrateful bastard. Wait, scratch that! I'll just write it down." Since Loki seemed to favor written messages so damn much. He stole a pen out of the container nearest the register and scrawled a hasty message in red ink across a napkin matching the one in his pocket, courtesy of that friendly waitress from before. She took it with a happy wave as he headed out the door, his step jaunty. But why shouldn't it be? He'd gotten his way, and he knew there were a pair of emerald eyes back inside, following him all the way. Hopefully reading his message. Speaking of-

Tony pulled Loki's napkin from his pocket and unfolded it, catching the stain of ink as it formed a message that was, as promised, an address. But there was something scrawled beneath it. Reading over it quickly, he laughed and crumpled the note in his fist, changing directions. Horns honked, blaring in his ears. He hurried through the traffic to the other side of the street, down the sidewalk. There was a nice flower shop down this way, and he had an emergency order to place. Three dozen bouquets, because Loki was a little shit and deserved every annoying gift and bauble he could throw at him. "I prefer yellow roses, Anthony," Tony mocked, reciting the note word for word. Of course he had to have the last laugh. Could he really complain though? He got what he wanted. Loki used his real name.


	2. Chapter 2

_Everyone seemed to want Loki and Tony's date, so here you go! Hope you enjoy, and kindly remember to review at the end!_

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel, Loki, Tony, or any of that. _**

He needed to stop staring. Like, now. Loki's mouth was doing horrible things to his libido, and Tony had sworn to himself that he was going to keep the date relatively chaste. You know, by his standards. All touches were reserved to some mild petting, and kissing. Plenty of that, thank god. He couldn't keep away from those gorgeous lips without a hell of a lot of effort. But Tony's mind was delving into territory that was so far from kissing, he'd need a dip in the Arctic to cool himself down if he didn't. Stop. LOOKING. AT-

Hnghh. He felt a shiver shoot down his spine, eyes deadlocked on the handsome man sitting across from him, specifically watching the way his lips moved as Loki dipped a spoon into the fancily plated confection on the table in front of him and popped it into his mouth. Gelato smudged pink skin, then got licked clean with a wicked swipe of a multitalented tongue. Damn. No chance of stopping those thoughts now. Why did he recommend the gelato again? That was a poor decision on his part, and Tony was definitely paying for it now. "You are SO doing that on purpose."

"Doing what? I'm merely enjoying my dessert." Loki smiled like an angel and spooned another dollop of rich chocolate into his mouth, taking care to nuzzle it first like the complete tease that he was, then suckling it clear off the spoon with noises that really weren't fucking helping Tony's libido in any shape, way, or form. Actually, scratch suckling. It was more like molesting. And the engineer would bet every drop of his billions that Loki knew exactly what he was doing. Him and his wickedly silver tongue that he could probably use in enough out of the box ways to keep Tony's fantasies working overtime for weeks. Months. Longer, if he got another chance to go out with Loki again.

"Uhuh. And I'm not an eccentric billionaire with more money than I know what to do with." He said it more to himself, because they both knew it was complete bullshit. Tony was very good at finding ways to blow his billions. Half the time it was on new inventions and private experiments not associated with Stark Enterprises. The other half…..

"I was under the impression that you knew exactly what to do with your money, Mr. Stark. Wooing and prostrating must be an expensive endeavor. Or do you have a stipend set aside for such situations?" Lifting his eyes to Tony's and offering a coy smile, Loki flicked his tongue across a smudge of gelato clinging stubbornly to his lower lip. "The roses alone surely cost you a small fortune. They couldn't be easy to come by in the dead of winter."

Three dozen bouquets of yellow roses, put together last minute with specialized cards and silk ribbon the exact color of Loki's eyes? They were outrageously extravagant, and the price reflected it. "Don't worry about it. I have connections," Tony grinned. Loki better feel lucky it was all spur of the moment, otherwise his whole apartment would've been filled with them. As it was they had to have the couriers help carry the roses inside; no point risking their suits getting messed up, and he got to watch Loki marvel over them all. The nickname gorgeous really fit when he was all smiles and not so secret delight. "Maybe next time you won't underestimate me, hm?"

"I hardly underestimated you. But shows of wealth really aren't necessary. You realize this, don't you? I no more need all this than you your ego stroked." Loki gestured to the restaurant in all its chic finery, the decorations that made a lush environment while retaining a certain cozy aspect that nestled around them comfortably. It was exactly the right atmosphere that Tony wanted for their date. Just because his primary objective wasn't to get Loki in his bed didn't mean that their night couldn't still be intimate. He wanted to know more about him. Having Jarvis do a background check wasn't half as fun as figuring things out for himself. This way, Tony got to use his genius and make clever deductions. It was kinda like being Sherlock Holmes, sans the drug problems. And his subject for investigation was a lot more interesting than anything Holmes ever did.

"Hey, just because you don't need something doesn't mean you can't want it. I mean, look at yourself." Tony waved his hand at the brunette. "If we're gonna talk about lavish displays of wealth, then you clearly have a dirty green secret you're hiding. That suit? It's Armani. Expensive, custom made, and tailored to fit in all the right places. Believe me, I noticed. Whatever you paid for it, it was a pretty penny. And I'd bet your tie is a hundred percent silk." Reaching across the table to run his forefinger over the aforementioned article, Tony smirked and waggled a brow. "Thought so. Looks good on you, gorgeous. Green's definitely your color."

Whatever Loki was expecting, that clearly wasn't it. Seemed like a running trend. "Well done. You might actually be as smart as they claim." He leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table, framing his plate and its remaining dessert, all of which looked vastly appealing to the engineer and his libido. If he could get an order of that and Loki to go, he'd be a happy man. "I have…adequate funds that allow me to live in relative comfort, with the occasional chance to indulge. Though how that's any of your concern is a mystery to me." His mouth curved in a smile that had to be illegal. Tony was tempted by a joke, but held his tongue out of self preservation. Loki didn't seem like the joking type.

"It's not. I'm just curious. I want to get to know you, Loki. You're interesting." He liked interesting. "Not many people would have the guts to smart off to me like you do," Tony praised with a cheeky smile, covering one of Loki's hands with his own. "And you make it really attractive." Well enough to drool over, that was for sure. Thankfully he had some grasp of social etiquette, otherwise there might be a growing puddle on the table and Loki's pretty tie in his fist, dragging him in for a chocolate and wine tinted kiss. Damn, that sounded nice.

Loki took a sip of wine, peering at him over the rim of the glass. "There is much to know, Mr. Stark. What precisely would you have me say?" Captivating emerald lured him in and then shifted their power to Loki's wonderfully delicious mouth. He was smiling playfully, though an undercurrent of wariness stiffened its corners. Tony got why; Loki was a private sort of guy, didn't like people knowing his business. Completely fair. He was the same. "You've already deduced that I'm of money, though I assure you that my wallet is nowhere near as full as yours. With such intelligence, surely you could put that genius mind of yours to use and answer all the rest of your questions yourself?"

He could. Google was a thing for a reason, and Jarvis could find out anything he wanted or needed to know. "That's not half as fun." Stroking the flat of snowy fingers, Tony urged his chair closer to the table, tempted to scoot it completely around to the other side. Anything to get closer to Loki. "Tell you what. Why don't we forget for a few minutes that we're both stubborn assholes and just…roll with it. I'll ask a few questions, then you get your turn. It'll be a back and forth thing. Alright?" It was a good enough plan for him. "First question. Why don't you call me Tony? It's like we back stepped, gorgeous. You were all willing to go on a date with me-"

"I believe you mean coerced. I was coerced into going on a date with you, Mr. Stark, not willing."

"Details. You agreed. Don't pretend you didn't. Hell gorgeous, I'd like to see someone try to make you do something you don't want to do! But that wasn't an answer." He raised Loki's hand to his mouth, pressing airy kisses to the tips of his fingers and across the bridge of knuckles, watching him over their tops. "I've got a name. You can use it, you know. So why don't you? I promise, it won't bite. And I won't either," unless he asked him too, in which case HELL YES. Tony would get all over that. Loki's skin was made for biting and licking, and all sorts of other raunchy things he shouldn't be thinking about right now. "Come on, say it with me. Tony. Tooooony. T-o-n-."

"I know perfectly well how it's spelled." Exasperated and staring at their hands, Loki frowned. "Clearly you don't understand. Using your first name would imply a certain…familiarity, Mr. Stark."

Familiarity? Damn, talk about being uptight. "Look, everyone calls me Tony. There's nothing all that special about it. It's just a name. I use yours!" With such an unusual, attractive name as Loki Laufeyson, why the hell wouldn't he? It was exotic. It was sexy. It fit him perfectly, and he'd give anything for a chance to try and see how it sounded as a moan. "You really need to relax, alright? I mean, you could go on a date with me and be just fine, but you can't say my name? That's kind of screwed up. I promise, nothing outrageous will happen if you decide to drop the formality. Worst case scenario? I might kiss you out of thanks." Tony stapled on a hasty "With your permission," when he saw the look he was getting. If hell could freeze over, Loki had the power to make it happen with his eyes alone. "Fine, stubborn. Lets try baby steps. Call me Stark. Not as formal, just dropping the Mr. You can do that much, can't you?"

"…" his hesitation was clear, but Tony almost jumped out of his chair to tackle the brunette when he offered a squeeze to the calloused fingers entwined with his own. "Very well. I'll have no peace if I don't." Picking his spoon up from the plate, Loki scooped up a fresh amount of gelato and tasted it. "Care to sample what your money has bought.." he waited, smirking at Tony's impatient glee, "Stark?"

Bingo. "Is that an offer to kiss you? Please, let that be an offer to kiss you." He waited, as jittery as a kid around Christmas time. One encouraging smile later and Tony hauled ass out of his chair, knocking the spoon away from Loki's lips to take possession of them himself, his teeth biting into the thin curve of skin and prying them open for his tongue to sweep inside. Everything was chocolate and delicious and fucking hot to the touch, and Loki kept making these feathery little growling noises that Tony would fuck if they weren't just sounds. He'd make due with their owner. Except….dammit. Clutching the man's chin, fingertips almost bruising the pale flesh, he groaned and nosed the corner of Loki's mouth. "Ok, that didn't exactly go according to plan. I underestimated how tempting you'd be." Tony pulled away, painfully aware of the strain in his pants. "Tasted pretty good though."

If Loki didn't look fucking smug, he'd go home and dump all his liquor down the drain. "An eloquent answer, though I wasn't aware I'd been purchased by your infinite funds."

"Don't make me laugh. You're worth way more than anything money could buy." Tony returned to his seat with the firm knowledge that he'd made Loki blush, because those pale cheeks of his were undeniably turning pink. It was kinda nice. Usually he only made people all flustered when he was using some cheesy pick up line, or being a charming bastard to sweep them off their feet. With Loki…he was just being honest. "No way. I practically fuck your mouth with my tongue and you're as cool as a cucumber, but the second I give you a compliment you blush like some innocent schoolgirl?" He waved off the derisive arguments and glares, chuckling. "That's cute. Better be careful, Jadis. I wouldn't want to make you melt."

"Wouldn't you?" Loki fiddled with his plate and fork, then decidedly pushed them away and perched his elbows on the table, an unfathomable question in his frosted green eyes. "Wouldn't you, Stark? I'm hardly a stranger to the looks you've given me this evening. You find me appealing. Beautiful, even." Tony arched a thick brow. Naturally he found him beautiful. What idiot wouldn't? "Tell me your intentions. What precisely do you plan to do with me, now that we're here? Any other man would take advantage of the opportunities given to attempt to manipulate me, persuading me into a perverse scenario of their choosing. Yet you've done no more than kiss me, Stark. And it wasn't…unpleasant. You could have continued."

There was a profound why hanging in the air, mingling with all the other questions Loki had thrown his way. It made Tony a bit uncomfortable. "You say that like it's happened before…" the blank look on Loki's face said it all. Damn. "Guess I really didn't make a good first impression, huh? What with all the flirting and teasing. You probably think I'm a jackass." Tony grunted his displeasure, taking a healthy swig of wine before he attempted to explain himself, and make what amends he could. "Listen Loki. I'm not going to lie to you. I absolutely want to get you in the sack. Pretty sure we covered this already. But I also told you that I've got more on the mind than sex, and how hot you'd look wrapped up in my sheets. I want to get to know you. The actual you. Not just this sexy ice queen persona you've got going on." Gesturing emphatically towards Loki while he spoke, he grinned crookedly and bucked the brunette under his chin. "If you want me to kiss you again though, I will. No questions asked. You're too hot to resist."

"Am I though? Were I to judge, I'd say you appear to be resisting rather well. My mouth has been relatively unmolested so far, and I've had to suffer the minimalist amount of tawdry gropings on your part." His blatant mockery was a direct contrast to the half smile Loki wasn't even attempting to hide anymore. Grasping the wine glass Tony was nervously fiddling with, thumb stroking the stem and curved bottom, Loki took it from him with gentle force and polished off the remaining liquor inside while Tony gaped and glowered.

"That was mine. You stole my drink."

"That I did." Catching a bead of wine on the tip of his tongue, Loki smirked. "Whatever are you going to do about it? Steal it back? You might find that difficult, seeing as how I've no intention of returning it to you."

Tease. Which got Tony thinking. Loki was teasing him, on purpose. After all the questions, all the curiosity and cold shoulders, he was being openly flirtatious. Again. Like hell he was going to turn down this opportunity though. "You're a damn conundrum," Tony muttered, winding Loki's tie around his fist and jerking him over the table, hot breath fanning across his nose and lips before their mouths collided. There was no reluctance, no half hearted gestures. The prat kissed him back with everything he could muster, gliding his tongue across the roof of Tony's mouth and dragging the tip over a pointed canine. He gave it a sharp nip, swallowing the gasp when it came out and mentally thanking his own genius for reserving a table way in the back of the restaurant, where they had privacy. Lots of privacy. "You really need to stop tempting me. I'm going crazy here gorgeous. A guy can only take so much before he goes"

"Stark raving mad?"

Did he just..Tony cracked up. "Ha ha. How long have you been waiting to use that one?" The mood dimmed, but not gone completely, he caressed the knot of Loki's tie and stared the schemer down. Loki didn't flinch, or blink. He kept his eyes on Tony, green clashing with the near blackness of ocher. "You're hard to pin down….what do you want,?"

"You assume I want anything from you."

Of course. Stubbornness wasn't surprising, considering Loki could be a total ass when he wanted to be. "Well, you did go on a date with me. That has to mean something." His fingers drifting higher up the silken strip of cloth to brush Loki's throat, Tony briefly felt his pulse. It was racing, out of control. Loki had a perfect poker face, but there were some things you just couldn't hide. "Loki, come on. I'm trying here. Quid pro quo, remember? You asked me a question, I answered. Time to return the favor." Chair left behind in favor of leaning on the table beside him, Tony curled his finger under Loki's chin, lifting it up. "You have to want something. You agreed to go out with me, and yeah, I know. I coerced you. Fine. If that's the way you wanna see it, I won't argue. But you're here, with me, for better or worse. So spill it. What's in this for you? I could give you the whole damn world if you asked me to. Whatever you want. You've got to tell me though, because I'm no mind reader."

"You're a billionaire, genius, playboy philanthropist, with more ego than money and the hormones of a rampant teenage boy." Loki pushed his hand away. Tony thought this was the end of the line, his ultimate rejection, until the brunette rolled his eyes and glared daggers at his dejected expression. "You will cease looking like a wounded animal, this instant. I wasn't finished, Stark. I've never been fond of labels, and I won't force unnecessary ones upon you when I know there is more than meets the eye. You've given me glimpses of this tonight." Tilting his head higher, Loki kissed the pad of his thumb. "I ask for no tangible shows of your wealth or prowess. If you decide to offer them anyway, very well. That is your choice, Stark, and I won't stop you. But there is only one thing I truly want."

"Yeah?" Waiting impatiently, he cupped Loki's pretty face in his hands. "Tell me. Anything you want, gorgeous. I'm Tony Stark. I'll make it happen." Invading the space between them to peck the pale flesh of his brow, Tony breathed in the musky scent that was all Loki, carding his fingers through the tresses at his nape. He'd move the skies for this guy, and he couldn't even say why. Hell, he didn't know, or care. But he had to know what gorgeous needed from him, so he could make it happen, win him over, and bask in the glory of having this stunning piece of work interested in him. "Tell me, Loki…"

He did, with the barest of whispers against Tony's lips. It was the greatest sound he ever heard. "I desire opportunity. A chance to see for myself what more you are made of, Tony Stark, other than titles and pathetic rumors. Prove to me that there is more to you than meets the eye. That's what I want." Relaxing against the plush covered chair and casually crossing his legs, the picture of sophistication despite Tony holding him, disrupting his clothes and hair, Loki charmed him. He made Tony want to give him more. "Can you do that, Stark?"

Hell yes he could. "If that's what you want, you've got it. I'll give you all the opportunities you need." Tony couldn't stop himself from kissing Loki after that, not that he really wanted to. Nipping the slender line of his lips and angling his head back against the chair, he growled his approval of the entire situation. Loki had basically asked for quality time, or what amounted to it in his mind. He could work with that. Quality time meant he got to have Loki all to himself. And more kisses, since he didn't seem to mind those too much. Or at all. The way he kept teasing him, Tony was pretty sure the brunette was just fucking around to have it all happen on his terms. It made sense. "Maybe after another date or two, you'll start calling me Tony."

"Perhaps." Busy distracting Tony with slow strokes of his mouth across his goatee, Loki laughed. "When did I express a desire for another date?"

"When you asked for quality time, gorgeous. That sounds like date material to me." Tony caught his lower lip between his teeth and tugged, eliciting soft noises of complaint from the brunette. "Suck it up and deal with it. You want to get to know me? We'll do it on my terms. That means more wining and dining, and all the other stuff I know you secretly enjoy. And since I know your address, there's nothing stopping me from showing up out of the blue to surprise you with another gift." Or two. Or three. What could he say? He liked spoiling people.

"Nothing except for the fact that I, unlike you, have a steady job schedule I must adhere to."

Right, work. That thing he tried to avoid as much as possible, usually by camping out in his workshop and avoiding certain high heeled executives. "You haven't told me what you do for a living yet." Tony wasn't going to know until Loki decided to share either, because otherwise, what was the point? He liked his puzzles, but he also liked earning the pieces.

"Nor do I intend to, without proper persuasion." Tony's eyes lit up, and he started to reach for the lapels of Loki's shirt. Kissing him senseless had to count as persuasion, when it was Tony Stark doing the kissing. His hands were batted away though before he even got close. Rising from his chair, Loki gave him a look and shook his head. A gesture towards a waitress that had seemingly popped out of the woodwork had his coat and scarf brought to him, and he dressed himself carefully, winding velvety green fabric around his neck. "That wasn't an offer, Stark. It was a suggestion, for next time. Shall we say…..tomorrow afternoon? Three o'clock?"

Tony blinked, pouting. "Wait, are you leaving?" Automatically he helped Loki put on his coat, smoothing the fabric down his back and arms. "What, will your ice castle melt if you're gone for too long?" He didn't bother hiding how dejected he was with the sudden departure, until warm lips brushed over his own and grinned.

"We can't all grace the night forever with our presence. I have an early meeting tomorrow, and I need my rest." Loki tapped his mouth. "Stop that. I won't have our evening spoiled by your childish attitude. You'll see me tomorrow afternoon, if you remember to show up." Tony still sulked, though only slightly, amusement seeping through to warm his chocolate colored eyes. It was an affectionate gesture that was noted, and rewarded with a hand fisting his shirt to draw him in close, Loki's words muffled between them, swallowed by his feverish tongue and teeth devouring every spare inch of skin he could reach. "Do behave yourself.." Loki purred. "You'll have time aplenty for enjoying kisses tomorrow. If you bring me lunch, I might even consider offering you a tour of my apartment."

"Lunch huh? Funny, but I remember you saying something about not needing material gestures to prove a point. What happened to that, huh? Change your mind so soon?" Releasing the grip he hadn't realized he'd had of narrow hips, Tony grinned up at the scowling brunette and placated him with a nip to his jaw. "Tell you what. Lets settle for another compromise. I'll bring you your lunch, if you let me drive you home. I'm faster than any taxi. You'll be back with that much more time to spare on your beauty rest. Not that you need it. You already look amazing."

Bemused and buttoning his coat, Loki lazily adjusted his scarf. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Stark. But I'm no fool. Pay the bill. I'll see that your car is safely brought around."

"You've got it." Watching him walk away with a strut that was sexy beyond words, Tony fished his wallet out of his pants pocket and threw a good handful of bills on the table. It was likely twice more than what their meals cost, but he frankly didn't care, already distracted by hauling ass towards the front of the restaurant to catch up with the stunning piece of work he got to kiss and caress, and take on yet another date. Lucky him. And Tony didn't say that very often. It was true though. Not only was Loki willing to go out with him tonight, he actually wanted to spend more time with him. He wanted to get to know him, learn what really made Tony….Tony. Beaming to himself, he threw open the front door and stepped outside into the whirl of the city, catching sight of the handsome Loki leaning against the passenger side of his car, a pure, fond smile on his face.

Oh yeah. He was the luckiest guy in the whole damn universe.


	3. Chapter 3

There was an issue with the whole bring-Loki-lunch gig. After he'd given it some thought, Tony had realized he had absolutely no idea what Loki liked to eat. Zilch. Nada. Disregarding the fact that yes, he'd bought him dinner the night before, what exactly did he have to go off of? Pretty much nothing, which left him picking his brain and trying to the best of his abilities not to get anything gorgeous would despise. Unfortunately, that ruled out cheeseburgers. And pizza. Hell, most fast food Tony crossed off the list almost immediately, because he just couldn't see someone as haughty as Loki willingly indulging in the greasy, delicious mess of flavors that made up his own daily diet. Too many calories. That left only one option.

Actually, it left several. All in variously packed containers, stuffed into a giant bag he lugged up the stairs to Loki's apartment door. It was fine dining takeout, courtesy of Stark Industries and his massive bank account. Pastas with all sorts of sauces, chicken, grilled and baked, beef marinated and cooked to perfect tenderness, and fresh rolls from a bakery nearby that he'd caught whiff of on the way over. Everything smelled delicious, at least to him. Whether or not Loki would agree waited to be seen. Fingers crossed. It was a better option than letting him cook, that's for sure. Tony was a lot of things. Devilishly handsome, richer than sin, intelligent, suave, classy, and a fantastic lover. But he was no chef. He didn't even touch the stove without Jarvis supervising, and even then, the engineer really couldn't be bothered. Unless it was frozen pizza. That much he could do. Anything else was way out of the realm of his culinary talents. The nonexistent ones.

Yeah. Hopefully Loki wasn't looking for a master chef. He'd have to settle for the best Tony's money could buy, in which case the ass should still be really damn happy. Jostling the paper sacks containing the hopefully pleasing goldmine of food to one hand, he approached apartment number 1949. The front door was made of glossy wood blacker than raven wings, and set with a knocker of gold in the shape of a serpent. He'd thought it odd on first sight, but somehow wasn't surprised. "Classy choice." Tony muttered affectionately, clasping one of its coils to knock. He might have done it with a little more eagerness than necessary, but who could blame him? "Open up, gorgeous! Your lunch awaits." As promised. Tony Stark was a man of his word, loopholes notwithstanding. Something told him Loki could respect that. Maybe he'd ask him, if the ice queen ever decided to open the door. It could be his impatience rearing its nasty head again, but Tony was pretty sure it had been longer than a minute since he knocked. Possibly a little less. He wasn't exactly sure how big Loki's apartment was, exactly, since the brunette didn't really give him a tour yesterday. There were roses to take care of. How long did it take to walk to the front door though? It couldn't be THAT big! "By all means, take your time! But I'll have you know this is really poor manners! You shouldn't keep your guests waiting!" Lips pursed, he reached for the knocker again. "Jadis! Don't make me go High King on your sexy-!"

"Oh, do continue to shout at my door, please. I beg of you. You only serve to prove my theory that your genius is closely inbred with idiocy."

Three seconds after the door was wrenched open to reveal an eye rolling brunette, Tony realized he was forever doomed to being made uncomfortably aroused while simultaneously bemused by Loki's snark. And he always had such impeccable timing with it too. Point of fact though, the next time his fingers were that close to fucking that fiendish beast humanity called a mouth, he damn well wanted to be in bed when it happened. "Call me an idiot savant if you want, I don't care. You're the one who invited me over. What's that say about you, hm?" He took the time to drink in Loki's appearance, and promptly felt a sly grin etch its way across his mouth. "….Any particular reason you're naked?" Please, let there be a reason. One with his name somewhere on it would be nice.

Loki's amused smile grew, and he held his lovat green towel tighter against his hip, knotted to prevent slippage. Unfortunate that. But it did give Tony a nice view of his calves. "I was in the middle of a bath, Stark. You weren't supposed to be here until three." A pointed look to the watch on Tony's wrist told him everything. "You're rather early."

"Hey, you said not to be late. Traffic's terrible this time of day, so I left a little early, gave myself plenty of wiggle room. You know, just in case I got stuck somewhere. " Loki looked less than convinced, and Tony huffed. "Ungrateful. I thought you'd appreciate my efforts to be on time!"

"On time, yes. A few minutes before three? Perhaps. But when did I ever suggest that arriving a half hour early was permissible? You speak of poor manners, but I'd say yours need far more care than my own. What if I hadn't heard you knocking? You'd have been stuck out here, without any supervision, might I add, and I held responsible for any foolishness you wreaked in my absence." Shifting his weight to the other foot, Loki pressed his palm against the door frame and angled forwards, trapping Tony in his gaze. "More importantly…you interrupted my bath. I covet those precious minutes to myself, Stark. They let me unwind."

Loki unwinding. Uh…not the mental image he needed right now. Bad enough that the man was completely naked, save for the towel. Now that he was looking more closely, Tony could see the rivulets of water still running down Loki's cheek and shoulder, steady beads dripping from the ends of his locks. Huh. his hair had a bit of a natural wave to it. That was kinda sexy. Tony peeked towards his navel, and the barely visible thatch of black forming a trail that led beneath the towel. Scratch that. Loki was undeniably the sexiest damn creature to walk the planet. Fuck. He was totally going to get a hard on at this point. "Sorry about that. Next time, I'll strive to be right on time to appease your royal highness's strict schedule." Matching him move for move, the billionaire leaned in and flashed a showy grin. "You know….just because I'm here, doesn't mean you can't go back to your bath….I'll even supervise, if you want."

"Supervise what, precisely? Are you going to wash my back for me? Or perhaps my hair?" Yes please, a million times over. That's exactly what he wanted. He must've looked entirely too hopeful, because Loki snorted and headed back into the apartment. "Stark, I'm no fool. I hardly trust you enough to allow you within five feet of my bathroom, much less the room where I sleep." Gesturing languidly for Tony to follow, he motioned to a set of adjoining rooms in color schemes of dove grey and black, with splashes of muted gold. "Set up the food while I find some clothes. The kitchen's through there. You'll find utensils and plates in the cabinets nearest the sink. Do try to stay out of trouble while I'm gone. And don't touch anything unnecessarily."

Spoilsport. "Yes master," Tony drawled sarcastically. "I promise to behave."

"See that you do." Chuckling, Loki vanished through the door he could only assume was his bedroom's. It shut with a quiet snap, leaving the inventor alone. In Loki's apartment. All by himself. No supervision. Heh. He'd really be a fool if he didn't take advantage of this. Working with a limited schedule, because who knew when Loki would come back, Tony quickly hurried to the kitchen and unpacked the containers of food and arranged them across the table. The kitchen itself was very elegant, with chrome appliances and marble tile, and the occasional bit of wood was varnished so black, it looked like ebony.

"Adequate funds, my ass," he muttered. "You don't have a place like this with 'adequate' funds. No way." It hardly mattered to him. He had more money than he knew what to do with. Still, it was the principle of the matter! Loki clearly had a nice bank account, if he could afford to live in luxury like this. Even the cutlery was fancy! Tony was honestly half expecting to open the cabinets and find gold plates. Checking, he was sorely disappointed. No gold. Just really nice porcelain…rimmed with gold. Go figure. Grabbing two plates and matching sets of forks and knives, plus a few dish towels, he set them neatly enough on the table beside the food and….well, that was it. Food unpacked, dishware set out. He wasn't going to risk rummaging through Loki's fridge for drinks. Let the guy offer first.

Which meant he had time. "Time to investigate…" because he wasn't wasting this opportunity. Hell no. Tony was willing to risk a little irritation if it meant getting a closer look around. He'd start with the living room. Plushly carpeted in forest green thick enough to swallow his toes, it was the picture of sophistication. Not too surprising. Loki had good taste. Glancing around the room, he walked towards the window that extended almost entirely across the far wall and peeled back the curtains. Nice view. On the pricier side of things, but well worth every cent. Half of New York City was laid out before him in a teeming glow of lights and polished metal, buzzing with life and flows of colors that he imagined looked even more spectacular at night. "Damn Loki." Tony whistled, appreciative, and let the curtains fall shut. There was more to explore.

One thing he'd noticed his visit yesterday. Loki didn't like clutter. Everything was arranged just right, from the bookshelf crammed with various hardbacks, to the tasteful selections of artwork decorated either side of a fairly impressive television and sound system, though he wasn't quite sure what the themes were off the top of his head. Something Norse, it looked like. More interesting was the tapestry hanging on the wall over the black leather couch. Sewn in golden and emerald thread, with a few off splashes of crimson, it featured what he vaguely thought might be a…wolf? Looked like one anyway. Hard to tell with all the heavy embroidery and knot work. "Interesting choice for decoration." Tony touched a dangling tassel, thumbing the cord holding it together. The tapestry was well crafted, yet on closer inspection he could see that it was old. Borderline ancient. Well taken care of over the years, sure. But old as dirt. "A family heirloom?"

"Something like that."

Goddamn! Tony near jumped a foot in the air and rounded on the brunette casually watching from his doorway. He jabbed a finger towards him, scowling and cursing beneath his breath. "Shit Loki! Don't do that."

"What, precisely, should I not do? I only sought to answer your question." Dressed impeccably as always, Loki took a few steps into the room and tucked a still damp length of hair behind his ear. He was a handsome figure in his tailored slacks and sweater, if not more relaxed looking than usual. The sweater gave his eyes a sort of cloudy undertone, like Tony was peering through smoke to glimpse a foreign world, all in shades of alien green and grey. "I believe I told you not to touch anything, Stark. Unfortunately, it appears you are incapable of following a simple set of instructions."

Lucky him, Loki didn't look angry. Tony decided to go with the cheeky approach. "Technically you said not to touch anything unnecessarily. And this was completely necessary. I was curious. You can't leave me alone in a room and expect me not to explore." Palms up in a lazy gesture of peace, he beamed at the darker haired male. "Come on gorgeous. I thought you knew better than that."

"The short lifespan of our relationship makes me want to disagree," Loki replied wryly. "But you aren't entirely wrong. I suppose I did expect you to, as you said….explore." Wandering to Tony's side, he reached out to smooth the tapestry back into place. The way his fingertips explored the individual threads, stroking with a sort of gentle reverence; Tony felt a pang in his chest. Only thing dear old dad had left him to cherish was a multibillion dollar company, and the Stark name. Nothing with that many good memories attached to it.

"Is it Norse?"

Fingers twitched, and a slow smile crept over those fine boned features. Wistful, endearing. Lovely. "Older than you could ever imagine. It hails from the time of Vikings and legends of old, and has been passed down through my family for generations. My brother possesses its twin, though the similarities are fraternal at best. Rather like ourselves." A sort of bitterness tainted over the glow of happiness in his eyes. Tony noticed, but kept it to himself, encouraging the brunette with a nudge to his side.

"So you're a Viking. That's pretty cool, gorgeous. Do you guys, you know, keep things traditional? Horned helmets, giant hammers, decorative animal pelts?" He wouldn't be completely unopposed to that last one. Activists could fight the good fight all they liked, but there was something really enticing about a sexy piece of ass sprawled out on some exotic fur. Make it Loki's in particular, and he'd put those thoughts to memory for future reference. Maybe even commission an oil painting.

God, was he glad Loki couldn't read his mind. The sudden return of his coy little smile made Tony leery though. "Crude as your suggestions may be, you aren't entirely wrong. My family has always paid due respect to their heritage, which, yes, does include the occasional donning of pelts and horns." Noting Tony's flabbergasted-and hungry-grin, he shook his head. "I'm joking, Stark. There are no such traditions. But tell me. Have you never wonder why my namesake is that of the trickster god?"

Trickster…right. Loki, Norse god. He'd never really put two and two together. He wasn't up to date on his mythology, much less ye olde European history. Tony just knew Loki's name was a gorgeous namesake for its unique and handsome owner. "Honestly? Not really. I guess it makes sense, with the whole family thing." He looped an arm around Loki's waist, stroking the thin material of his sweater with his knuckles. "Funny. I thought Loki was, you know, the Norse god of evil or something. You don't seem all that bad to me."

"How sweet. Is this your attempt to flatter me?" Much to the surprise of one suddenly happy billionaire, Loki pressed into his side with a quiet hum, staring up at the gilded tapestry. "He was the god of mischief. Not evil. There is a difference, Stark. And despite all the circumstances surrounding it, I'm proud to have the name that I do." He left little time for Tony to ponder that one, delicately sniffing the air and turning his head towards the kitchen. "What on earth did you bring for lunch? It smells as if you commandeered an entire banquet hall."

"Yeah, well, I didn't know what you'd want to eat. Last night didn't offer a lot of tips. So I figured, why not go all out? Get a bunch of everything." Without a hint of shame Tony followed him into the kitchen, pleased with the response Loki gave when he saw all the food and began inspecting it, prying lids off containers and opening cardboard boxes, making the delicious smells in the room all that more stronger. The beef looked particularly mouthwatering, especially with its juices soaking into a bed of brown rice. Tony groaned a little. He hadn't realized how hungry he was. He'd be polite though, wait for Loki to select first. It was his apartment, after all. "Anything look good to you?" He watched those pale hands move over choice after choice, hesitating on a few, but never lingering. Until-

"As a matter of fact, something does." They bypassed the cartons entirely, and Tony was left with an armful of purring Loki that cupped his face, bronzed with his patches of stubble, and angled it into a kiss of…fuck, there were no words.

No, wrong. He had plenty. He just found it hard to articulate them, when every one of his senses had out of the blue decided to kick into overdrive and focus on Loki. ONLY on Loki. It was totally worth it. Thin lips tasting of something rich and minty pushed upon his own, parted to allow warm breath to flutter past, carried on Loki's nimble tongue as it thrust and rubbed against the roof of his mouth. Tony growled. This he could deal with. "I'm not on the menu, but there's no reason we can't work something out." Eagerly grinning at the thought, because goddamn, Loki was an unbelievably good kisser, he dragged him closer and swallowed the sounds coming out of his mouth. "Fuck Loki…."

Plastering against him with a becoming grin, Loki laughed, nipping at his mouth. "I wouldn't get your hopes up. You'll have to wait a while longer if you aim to get in my pants. We barely know each other, Stark."

"Not from a lack of effort. I'm more than willing to learn everything about you, gorgeous." Before he could be pushed away Tony stole a final kiss, tasting himself on Loki's tongue. That was unbelievably hot. Borderline erotic. Fuck. "New rule. You have to kiss me like that every date now. I mean it. One's not enough. It'd be like denying a junkie their fix."

"Really now? You're comparing my kisses to a drug? I suppose that makes me…what, Stark? Addictive? Corrosive? Dangerous and toxic?" One look from those pearly greens and he was backtracking fast, spouting a string of no's and surrendering to the brunette with a wounded smile. What a surprise, he didn't fall for it. Loki was too clever for that. "Oh stop. You'll run out of breath if you talk any faster." Choosing a plate for himself and piling it with several choice tasters of food, including one of the freshly baked rolls, Loki retrieved a bottle of wine from the rack over fridge and pushed it into his hand. "It's almost endearing. I don't believe I've ever heard anyone babble as much as you do. It's as if you're programmed to run your mouth in times of peril."

"Peril?" Oh damn, he'd screwed up. He was in trouble. Tony blanched and followed Loki around the kitchen, dogging his footsteps as he fetched two wine glasses and carried them into the living room along with his plate, placing all three on the coffee table. Was he in trouble? Oh fuck, oh fuck, what could he do to make amends for this? What did he….wait, that asshole was smiling. He wasn't in trouble if there was a smile. That prick. "You're needlessly cruel to me," Tony muttered, snatching up his plate to dump food on it. He didn't really pay attention to what. Loki snickered and ignored the inventor still hot on his heels, taking a seat on the plush couch in the other room. "Seriously. That was heartless. I thought I was in trouble! I," drifting off for a second or two, Tony pondered his words. "Endearing?"

A husky sigh sounded to his left, filled to the brim with kind exasperation. "That would be the part you would cling to, you overzealous fool. I only meant that with your rambling comes a sort of…..fondness. As a parent might have for a rampant child. Do not read any deeper into it."

But he was. Hell yes he was. "No, see, that doesn't fly with me Jadis. You can preach your familial fondness bullshit all you want, but I see the look on your face. You think you're hiding it? Try again." Loki's plate was roughly forced back to the table top, nearly enough to crack the fragile glass, and those slender hands were grabbed up in Tony's and squeezed, scruffy kisses delivered to their palms. All while he grinned. Oh, how he GRINNED. "You like me."

"Stark…."

Like there was any stopping him. Tony was on a roll, enough to ignore the warning tone in the other's voice. Flying alien sorcerers couldn't shut him up now. "You like me, Loki. Admit it. I know it's nothing physical. You've got nothing to work with yet, unless you just like the sight of me that damn much. It's a lot more than curiosity though, isn't it? That whole I want to know you, Tony thing you had going last night? Oh, I believe you," he kissed down one of the man's wrists, nipping gently at the warm skin and testing the boundaries he knew were wisely in place, for both their sakes. He didn't want this to be another fling. Neither did Loki. "You meant it. Still do. That's just the half of it though. You have another motivation." It was getting so hard not to tease him, when Loki was flustering and glaring at him like he might spontaneously combust into fire at a whim. The blushing really didn't help. "Just admit it. You actually like me."

"And why would I do such a ridiculous thing? Saying so would promote nothing but lies, and your ego needs no more delusions tainting it." Delusions. Right. Which is how he totally got Loki to go on a date with him. Point and check, Jadis.

"You like me."

"I don't, you intolerable excuse for a human being. Though you're making me loathe you more and more with every foul word that comes from your lips."

"Ouch. That the best you got? I've faced politicians scarier than you, gorgeous." There was a split second where Tony actually worried he'd gone overboard, and Loki was genuinely angry with him. The cold flash through his chartreuse eyes certainly made it seem like he was. Maybe there was a half truth in it all. Loki was like a trapped animal, lashing out when the hunter got too close and….ahh. "I get it. You're mad because I can read you, right? I see through the whole snow queen act. " Fingers stiffened in his grasp, shock still after the smallest quiver. Uhuh. Bingo. "It makes sense. I bet a lot of other people take one look at all the walls you've got thrown up and hightail it as far away as possible. Probably afraid of frostbite." He had to coax Loki's hands out of the defensive fists they'd become, nails eating into the meat of his palms, marking white half moons that Tony kissed and chuckled against. "Sucks if that's what you were expecting here, because I don't have any intentions of leaving. A little cold never hurt anyone. Besides, I know I'm right anyway. There's no real threat to me. Wanna know why?"

Bitterness was never a good shield for curiosity. Despite himself, Loki wanted to know what he was thinking. Tony recognized that hungering gaze all too well. "I could say no, but I doubt that would do any good. You've every intention of speaking your mind, don't you, Stark?"

"If it makes you sheath your pretty claws? Seriously Loki, relax. You're going to hurt yourself. I promise, this isn't the end of the world. You just made it all really obvious to me is all. Asking for lunch? Inviting me to your apartment-"

"If you could dredge your memory out of the pathetic gutter it inhabits, it might remind you that you had already seen my apartment, and therefore there was no good reason to keep you from here." From him. Tony was good at reading between the lines.

"Wrong. I saw a few feet of your living room, at best. Not enough to make a difference." Scowling, Loki pressed into the couch and angled his head away, lips set in a grim line. Pouting. He was pouting. Damn, Tony wished he had a camera right now. One within safe access that wouldn't get broken the second he pulled it out, that is. Too bad they weren't in Stark Tower. "Loki, c'mon. Give it up. We both know why you invited me here. We could've done the quality time thing anywhere. You could've demanded I take you out to lunch, or to the park, if things got that cheesy. But you asked me here."

The first crack of submission was only a twitch at the corner of his mouth. Loki was trying not to smile…or something close. Whichever. Tony saw it, and he affectionately nosed the flushed jaw line of his stubborn interest, pecking warm skin. He wasn't a master of patience, though he showed pretty good restraint when Pepper forced him to attend all those boring board meetings. This was more important. He could wait, at least until Loki caved a little more. It didn't take very long.

"I may…..tolerate your existence more than I thought I would." There was a delightful grimace with those words. Loki was fucking cute sometimes. "But you are making a mountain out of a molehill. Toleration does not equal affection, Stark. Don't confuse the two."

"From you gorgeous, they're one and the same." Success was sweet, and it tasted delicious. Or maybe that was just Loki. He scooted closer to the brunette's side and draped an arm over his shoulders, very aware of the visual daggers trying to pick their way inside his skull. It was worth it. "If it's any consolation, I did warn you. No one can resist the Stark charm."

"Continue mocking me, and your charm will be the only asset you have left to use."

"Planning to steal the rest for yourself? I'm open to negotiations." Tony waggled a brow, thrilled when Loki responded with a soft chorus of laughter and reached for his forgotten plate of food. "Seriously. You name the time and place. We'll set a date. But I better warn you, I don't run cheap. Any part of me. It'll cost you…ohh….another round of verbal sparring over shawarma. Friday night. Casual attire, so you don't have to get all dressed up for me," he fingered the collar of Loki's sweater. "I love what you're wearing by the way. It's sexy."

A heavy sigh shifted the body next to his own, exasperated and amused and all sorts of other things that had his stomach doing flips in his chest. "I daresay you'd find a paper bag appealing, if you thought you had a chance to find out what lied underneath." Biting into a piece of chicken, Loki smirked. "Unfortunately, I'm afraid I have to disappoint you this time, Stark. I have a prior engagement Friday that needs my full attention."

Prior engagement? Was it another date? Please, don't let it be another date. Tony Stark didn't get jealous, but he damn well didn't share what was, in his eyes, rightfully earned and, hello, HIS. "What, I'm not invited? And here I thought we were getting closer! We had a heart to heart, gorgeous! What happened to all our progress?"

"Progress is taking a backseat in lieu of necessity. Really Stark, calm yourself. Jealousy is only becoming when adored by both parties." Loki licked sauce off his lower lip, stealing a glance at the inventor who was doing his best not to throw a tantrum of his very own. Spoiled billionaire and all. Tony was used to getting what he wanted. "If you must know, I have work Friday. And as this was arranged months before we even knew of each other's existence, you can now cease behaving like a pampered toddler denied his favorite toy." A forkful of food was offered to him, thick with noodles and the beef he'd very much been coveting earlier, while Loki grinned all smug and-hm. Guess that understanding thing was a two way street. "I know it must pain you, spoiled and greedy as you are, but you can't hoard all of my attention for yourself."

"I don't want to hoard you," Tony grumbled, viciously mouthing the fork clean and scowling at the other male. "We're supposed to be spending time together. You wanted to get to know me, remember?" He was pitiful, but that didn't stop him from asking, "Any way you can get out of it?"

"No, and I wouldn't even if I could. My comfortable living relies on this job. They wouldn't appreciate my running out on them, just to spend time an eccentric billionaire who is far too clingy for his own good." Cheeky, Loki pushed a napkin into his hand. "We can't all ignore our responsibilities, Stark, or have our nanny do them for us."

Nanny. Wait till he told Pepper that one. "I'm sure my CEO would appreciate the comparison." He swiped at his mouth with the paper cloth and lolled his head back against the couch, thinking. Loki had made mention of his job before, whatever it was, but that wasn't exactly informative. The only real clues he had were the schedules and hours, and the fact that whatever gorgeous did, it paid for a really posh view. Which was still pretty vague. He could be anything from a high end lawyer to a drug dealer, for all Tony knew.

He was mostly kidding on the last one. Hey, anything was possible. "Ok, you can't get out of it. Understandable." Inching his hand toward the exposed skin at Loki's neck, he put up his best charming smile. "Any way that I could-"

"Don't even think about it."

Wha-flabbergasted, he stared at the smirking male. He didn't even get to finish the question! That wasn't fair. "Why not? I promise to play nice with the other workers." Loki took another forkful of food and ignored him, and Tony whined. Yes, whined. "Loki!"

"Stark!" Wow, he matched that one perfectly. Right down to the soft lilt at the end of his name. "If I won't tell you what I do for a living, why on earth would I take you there instead? Hm?" Wonderful question. Tony had honestly been hoping that Loki wouldn't question things, and just go along with his mad schemes. That would've been more fun. "It's out of the question. We're working on a very special ongoing project that's worth millions in publicity and marketing. It can't be leaked to the press. I'm not allowed to breathe a word of it to anyone. Even those close to me." Here Loki's gaze flickered, raking him over. "And since you happen to be in a sordid love affair with most of New York's finest gossiping mongrels, it's far too risky letting you come along. Telling you anything would be equally asinine." Fully aware of the look Tony was giving him, Loki set his plate down and leaned over to kiss the corner of his mouth, lingering just long enough to make him feel a little better. Only a little. "I trust you understand?"

"…Yeah. I get it." Tony pulled the brunette tight against him and kissed his shoulder, fingers clasping against his navel. "Give me a hint?"

"Not a chance."

"Damn." He fiddled with the hem of Loki's sweater, teasing it up to trace the pale skin beneath. It was record time for his ongoing silence, broken only after a minute, fourteen seconds. "You know I could find out. I've got contacts. Resources. That wouldn't break your vow of silence, or whatever." Jarvis. It was tempting. Very tempting. With a bit of research he knew he could find out every tiny detail of what Loki was doing. "There's nothing really keeping me from showing up."

Loki hummed, relaxing in his hold. Funny how he didn't seem all that distressed by the idea. "Other than security. Seeing as how everything is closed to the outside public, I doubt they would just let you waltz inside."

"I'm Tony Stark. I can do whatever I want. Making the impossible possible is my motto, gorgeous." His arms flexed, tensing slightly. Unless his getting involved was really that big of a deal, and he got Loki in trouble. What if he was even fired? He'd feel fucking terrible if that happened. Loki would probably never forgive him. Tony flinched, brushing a kiss over the pale nape in front of him, black hair tickling his cheeks and nose. Morality sucked. "Dammit Loki. You've got me all curious. Can't I just get one hint? Please? Give me something, anything to tide me over until you can spill the big secret."

"Mm….and if I do?" Reaching back with a hand of his own, he cupped the side of Tony's neck, thumb swirling over his pulse and-goddamn, that felt way too good. "Clearly you've reasoned that your interference would only cause me grief, which I do appreciate. This job will be hard enough without you distracting me about it at every available moment. But if I have no reason to fear your sudden arrival, then why should I tell you anything? What could possibly be in it for me?"

A couple of things crossed his mind in that moment. One, Loki was way too smart for his own good, and that was insanely attractive. Two, he made an excellent point. What WAS in it for him? Tony understood the importance of proper motivation, but he honestly couldn't think of anything off the top of his head. Usually a round of mind blowing sex did the trick. "I…uh…because if you don't, I'll be hopelessly forlorn and spend the rest of the day pouting at you?" Until Loki kicked him out. Try that again. "Take pity on me gorgeous. I don't know what you want. I'm used to catering to supermodels and killer gorgeous flight attendants."

"Then what does that make me?" Glinting emerald gave him all the warning he needed. Treading thin ice. Careful Tony, careful.

"Lots of things. Ridiculously intelligent and beautiful come to mind?" Nope. He was still getting the look. "The most attractive person on the planet? Hotter than any of the supermodels I've dated?" Tony nuzzled him, hopeful. Getting in trouble wasn't part of the plan. He'd already had one scare today.

"That goes without saying. They hardly register as competition. Most aren't presentable without their heavy masks of makeup and perfume." Loki wrinkled his nose, disgusted. A factoid the inventor filed away in his memory. One of these days he was going to start a list, keep track of all the little nuances he'd been discovering about his darling snow queen. For now, he wanted a damn hint. He craved it. Lucky him that Loki was in a charitable mood. "Very well. For your compliments, I'll give you one hint. One, Stark. After which, I expect this childish beggary to cease. Am I understood?" Shifting on the couch, he took in Tony's hasty nod with one of his own, lips rising in a tease. That promised nothing good. Tony agreed anyway.

"Crystal."

It wasn't all that clear what he was doing when Loki reached over the couch's side and plucked something off one of the decorative corner tables. He sort of thought he was going crazy. Then there was a soft slap, and Tony saw the whatever sitting on his thigh. "…..It's a model car." Staring at it, reluctantly releasing Loki to pick up the black and chrome toy, he turned it about and squinted at all the tiny features. Wasn't one he recognized. More importantly "How is this a hint? Hey!" Tony jumped off the couch and followed the brunette as he carried his near empty wine glass into the kitchen, sputtering and clutching the car while his other hand flailed about midair. "Loki! This isn't a hint!"

"On the contrary. It very much is." Grinning like a Cheshire cat while he poured the wine, Loki glanced at the small toy. "Bound as I am by contract, I could hardly spell out what it is I'm doing, now could I? Even if it were possible, you never specified what sort of hint you wanted to begin with. Be grateful I gave you anything at all, much less something you can research to your heart's content." He lifted the glass to his lips, hiding a smile that was gorgeously sneaky. "That is what you were planning to do before, was it not? Research?"

"…..You're a fucking genius." That was all the warning Tony gave before tackling him against the counter and kissing him senseless. Loki was exactly right. He had all the hint he needed. But unless he was a car salesman or something, he had absolutely no idea how a model car pertained to Loki's supposed job. Tony growled, swiping his tongue over smirking lips. Yet. He had no idea, YET.

God, he loved a good challenge.


End file.
